Bathtub Decisions
by Morbid Muse
Summary: It story- What if Stan never killed himself in the bathtub?
1. Prologue- The Decision

Title: Bathtub Decisions  
  
Author: AmandaB9@aol.com  
  
Fandome: IT  
  
Summary: Stan does not kill himself in the bathtub.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: Stephan King came up with the amazing story of It and its characters.  
  
Warning: I am assuming that you read the book, must be the book and not just having seen the movie, so I am not going to review more than what fits into my story.  
  
  
  
Stanley Uris sat in his bath, allowing the few drops to still spill rhythmically from the facet. It didn't matter. Nothing did at the moment. Nothing but Derry, fear, screams, death, and the terrible feeling of being dirty and offended.  
  
And of course, the neat razor blade Stan held in his hand above his vein.  
  
Memories he never before remembered past nightmares were suddenly too clear. The screams – their screams, voices of children who were always frightened and in pain – became as definite as the endless amount of blood and tears the seven of them had shed that summer.  
  
The razor blade descended closer to his flesh.  
  
It wouldn't be the first time he had purposefully cut himself. Oh, no! It had been his idea to cut their skin and share the blood. Hadn't he known what Stuttering Bill would make them promise? Could he break that promise, when the others would surely put their lives aside because of his own action twenty-five years ago?  
  
The blade was set down again on the side of the bathtub.  
  
No. He couldn't leave it all up to his old friends. Not because he was afraid of dying now – Stan had an unshakable feeling that if he went back to his home town he might die anyway – but because he was sure they needed seven. Seven had been the magical number they needed to get anything to work. Whether it was the Apocalyptic Rockfight or the "clown" with a million faces that killed kids. He could not leave his old friends to die like that.  
  
Stanley took a deep sigh and made up his mind. He would return to Derry, Maine. Derry, where the fear was real and lasted longer than just in your dreams. He would return and help Mikey, Bevvie, Trashmouth, Haystack, Big Bill, and Eddie finally kill whatever was residing under the town. And maybe, if their luck didn't completely run out too soon, they wouldn't all get killed in the process.  
  
  
  
=(Amanda(= 


	2. Chapter 1 - The Arrival

Title: Bathtub Decisions  
  
Author: AmandaB9@aol.com  
  
Fandome: IT  
  
Summary: Stan does not kill himself in the bathtub.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: Stephan King came up with the amazing story of It and its characters.  
  
Warning: I am assuming that you read the book, must be the book and not just having seen the movie, so I am not going to review more than what fits into my story.  
  
  
  
Chapter 1 – The Arrival  
  
Stan sat very still in his window seat on the plane. Unlike the man sitting next to him, he didn't move or fidget at all. Lost in memories, Stan was as quiet as he had been when he was a young boy. The quiet he had been known for.  
  
Hadn't Haystack called him quiet once? Or was it something like that, but not quite? And why did Stan's mind keep calling him Haystack? It hadn't been the boy's name or anything.  
  
Stan gave a small, inward shrug. It was probably just something Richie "Trashmouth" Tozier had made up. That kid was always inventing new, wacky things to say. The two had been friends despite the huge difference in personalities and religion.  
  
Now Stan allows his mind to wander back to more recent events. After coming out of his bath with his mind firmly made up, Stan had proceeded to pack. When Patty had seen him with a trim black suitcase she had needed to know what was going on.  
  
"Why are you carrying that?" she had asked, eyes wide and full of wonder as one of her hands continued a search in her box of buttons.  
  
"Listen to me, Patty. I've got to go. I love you but I've got to leave. I'm so sorry, Patty."  
  
There was a moment of silence when even her hand stopped its movement before, "For how long? Why? What was that phone call about? What's going on, Stan?"  
  
"I can't explain. I am sorry, Patty. I don't know when I'll be back. I'll try and call you but I can't promise anything. I have to go."  
  
The plane ride, in first class of course, was easy to book but harder to board. Not because of any other reason than fear and not wanting to go home made this the most difficult flight to get onto in Stanley's life.  
  
Stan was lucky enough to get a flight from Atlantia right to Maine. Not Derry, but close. And he took out a room in Derry Townhouse, which was already another blast from the past. The person over the phone had remarked that in the last day, the hotel had suddenly got a lot of out-of- towners. Stan had to hold back a giddy laughter before replying that it was just a meeting of the Losers Club.  
  
The plane landed easily, too easily in Stan's mind. It seemed like the eerie calm before the big finale. As the cab took him to his room, Stan noted the many differences and similarities between the past and present town.  
  
At least two things remained the same that had mattered greatly to his childhood. The Aladdin still stood, but crumbling old, and in severe need of repair. Also, as the cab passed the edge of the Canal, Stan noted that the Canal, tunnels, and Barrens also appeared unchanged. Stan wasn't sure wheator or not he was happy about the latter.  
  
Stanley's head snapped us as he realized the cab driver was talking to him.  
  
"I'm sorry?"  
  
"I asked if you've ever been to Derry before."  
  
"Oh. Yes, actually I have," Stan didn't feel in the mood to elaborate or even admit he used to live here.  
  
"Ayuh? I've lived here my whole fucking life and enjoyed every day of it. Be buried here, I will. And pardon my French if you're a religious man."  
  
"I am," Stan lied, turning his head to the window to watch the town pass him by.  
  
Memories washed through him as the hoped his last comment would be enough to keep the cab driver quiet. Memories and the knowledge that he still knew nowhere near all the horror that they had experienced the dreadful summer. The knowledge that he didn't want to know more but wouldn't be able to stop them from coming.  
  
Upon finally reaching the Derry Townhouse and tipping the cab driver - whose name, Stan found out, was Dave – Stan felt the first signs of real fear begin to truly flitter in. Before he had been shocked, worried, and a little anxious. Now he was regretting his decision. Was it still too late to turn back? Did he ever really have a choice in the matter?  
  
"Stanley Uris. I have a reservation," Stan informed the teenage boy behind the desk.  
  
After a few hours Stanley was unpacked. Pants neatly folded in the bottom draw. Shirts clean and pressed before them. PJ's tucked in snug above that. Underwear and socks occupied the final and top draw. Ready for bed, Stan was startled at the sound of the phone.  
  
"Hello?" Stan asked uncertainly.  
  
"Hello, Stanny?" the voice from last night responded.  
  
"Mikey? Why are you calling? I mean, what's wrong? Hey, how did you get this number?"  
  
There was the sound of laughter on the end, which made Stan's skin flush slightly.  
  
"I have my sources. How are you Stanny?"  
  
"Been better."  
  
"I hear that," Stan could almost feel Mike's nod on the other end. "But you're holding up?"  
  
"Yeah, for now. Is everyone here yet?"  
  
"No. Big Bill and Bevvie still haven't arrived, but they're both coming."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Listen, Stan. I figure we'll hold our reunion off until tomorrow. Make sure everyone's here and had some form of sleep. Do you want me to call you back tomorrow when I have the exact time and place?"  
  
"Sure thing, Mikey."  
  
"Okay. Bye, Stan. See you tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah, tomorrow."  
  
"And, Stan?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thanks for coming. I was a little worried about you after the phone call. But it means a lot, not just to me, that you showed."  
  
Stan sighed deeply and rubbed his eyes. "I know, Mikey. I know. But are we going to make it through this?"  
  
There was no answer on the other end.  
  
  
  
=(Amanda(= 


End file.
